Display apparatus.



T. T. COGHRAN & R. Z. GARDNER.

DISPLAY APPARATUS.

APPLIUATION FILED OUT. 6, 1909.

Patented Aug. 2, 1910.

B SHEETS-SHEET 1.

gin-vented Tlfaohran Thomas RZIiardner:

T. T; GOGHRAN & B. Z. GARDNER. DISPLAY APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 001'. e, 1909.

966,083. Patented Aug. 2, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PErER's cm, WASHINGTON, u. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS TIDWELL COGHRAN AND ROBERT ZACI-IERY GARDNER, 0F ATLANTA,GEORGIA.

DISPLAY APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, THOMAS T. GOOHRAN and ROBERT Z. GARDNER, citizensof the United States, residing at Atlanta, in the county of Fulton andState of Georgia,have invented certain new and useful Improvement-s inDisplay Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements indisplay or exhibiting apparatus, andhas for its object to rovide amachine of this character in which the advertising cards or articles tobe exhibited are displayed simultaneously from each end of the machine.

Another object is to provide a novel construction of advertisingmachine, which is adapted to be intermittently operated to expose thecards or other devices on which the advertisements are carried to publicview.

it-h these and other objects in view, the present invention consists inthe combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter morefully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claim, itbeing understood that changes in the specific structure shown anddescribed may be made within the scope of the claim without dc partingfrom the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which likenumerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views,Figure 1 is a perspective view of an advertising machine embodying ourim provements. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, one side of the casing beingremoved. Fig. 3 is a top plan view, the casing being shown in section.Fig.4: is a transverse section taken on the line ll of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing 5 indicates a casing or housing in which themechanism of the machine is inclosed, whereby the various parts areprotected against liability of becoming clogged with particles of dust,and thus interfering with the operation of the machine. The oppositeends of the casing 5 are open as shown at 6. These openings are ofsuflicient size to allow the free swinging movement of the advertisingcards as will later appear. Secured in each end of the housing upon thetransverse shafts 7 are the sprockets 8, upon which the endless chains 9are disposed. .These chains are connected by the transverse carryingrods 10 to which are pivoted one edge of the advertising cards 11. Thesecards are pref- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 6, 1909.

Patented A11 2, 1910.

Serial No. 521,202.

erably attached to the rods by means of the metal clips 11, and areprovided with advertising matter upon their opposite faces. These cardsare adapted to be supported in an inclined position from the lowerportion of the carrier chains by the supporting plate 12 which extendsthe full length and width of the casing, and in effect forms the bottomthereof.

In providing a suitable driving mechanism for the carrier chain weemploy a gear 13 secured upon one end of the transverse sprocket shaft7. This gear has meshing engagement with a mutilated gear 1a mount-edupon a stub shaft 15 secured in the casing 5, Also mounted on the shaft15 there is a chain sprocket 16 which is con nected by the endless chain17 with a smaller sprocket 18 also mounted upon a shaft disposed in oneside of the casing. sprocket 19 is also mounted upon the last namedshaft and is geared to the sprocket 20 by means of the driving chain 21.A gear 22 is mounted upon the shaftof the last named sprocket and isengaged with the teeth of a pinion 23 carried by the motor shaft. Themotor 2 1 is mounted upon the top of the casing, a slot being providedtherein through which the gear 22 extends. The motor receives its supplyof current from an external source of electrical energy, or suitableelectric batteries connected therewith. In this manner it will be notedthat the intermittent movement of the carrying chains 9 is provided for,thus attaining one of the principal objects of our invention, namely, toattain a more or less protracted period of inactivity of the signcarrier, at which time one of the advertising signs will be verticallypositioned exteriorly of the ends of the casing. The reverse side of thecards will be exhibited as they are moved from end to end of themachine. Thus it will be seen that a very large number of advertisementsmay be displayed in a comparatively small space, and the constantlychanging signs will attract and hold the attention of prospectivepatrons. The cards 11 will be disposed upon one another and lie fiatupon the upper lengths of the carrier chains during their movementthrough the casing. As the chains pass over the sprockets 8, the cardswill turn upon the carrying rods 10 to which they are pivoted and hangvertically. At this time the teeth of the mutilated gear 14 aredisengaged from A larger the teeth of the gear 13, and will not againmesh with the same to rotate the sprockets, until the mutilated gear hasalmost completed an entire revolution. quite a time which elapses beforethe card is moved from its vertical position, allowing the contentsthereof to be read. It will be obvious that the length of time for whichthe sprockets are not in motion will entirely depend upon the relativediameters of the various driving sprockets. Thus it is quite a simplematter to quickly increase or decrease the speed of operation of themachine. From the foregoing it will be seen that we have provided adisplay apparatus which is particularly designed for advertisingpurposes, and is adapted to be used for car advertising, or fordisplaying various articles of merchandise which may be secured to thecards carried by the sprocket chains. The machine is very simple inconstruction, durable and efiicient in its operation and may bemanufactured at a minimum cost.

In order to accelerate the movement of the cards into pendent positionafter passing over the upper part of their orbit, curved strap springs27 are engaged slidably on certain of the rods 10 to bear upwardlyagainst the preceding card when nearing the display opening, as shown inFigs. 1 and 2 A. spring 28 is carried by Thus there is' the top of thecasing and disposed to en= gage resiliently upon the cards and cause thecards to snap quickly into position.

lVhat is claimed is:

A display apparatus comprising an open ended casing, sprockets mountedin the ends of said casing at the sides thereof and projecting beyondthe same, carrier chains disposed upon said sprockets,transverse rodsconnecting the chains, a plurality of dis play cards pivotally mountedon said rods and adapted to lie in folded position upon the upperlengths of the carrier chains, the cards carried by the lower lengths ofthe chains being obliquely positioned and engaged with the bottom of thecasing, curved strap springs carried by said rods upon which the cardsare adapted to rest, and a spring fixed to the top of the casing andadapted to resiliently bear upon the card resting upon the said strapspring, and means for intermittently operating the carrler.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures, in presence of twowitnesses.

THOMAS TIDVVELL COCHRAN. ROBERT ZACHERY GARDNER.

Vitnesses Y. P. KING, C. H. MURRAY.

